Who Should I Start? Rodrigo Blankenship or Jake Moody

Monday, August 21, 6:14 PM

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers waived kicker Rodrigo Blankenship on Monday. Blankenship lost the kicking battle to Chase McLaughlin in training camp this summer and will now look to latch on with another team before the start of the 2023 regular season. The 26-year-old spent last year with the Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals, going 4-for-5 on his field-goal tries and 4-for-5 on extra points in just three total games. As long as Tampa doesn't bring in more competition for McLaughlin to close out the preseason, he should enter Week 1 as the team's starting kicker. McLaughlin, 27, made 83.3 percent of his 36 field-goal attempts and made all 21 of his extra-point tries in 16 games with the Indianapolis Colts in 2022. The kicking position in Tampa won't be as exciting in fantasy now that Tom Brady isn't running the offense in 2023.

Saturday, October 18, 5:04 PM

Chicago Bears kicker Jake Moody was elevated from the practice squad ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Saints. Moody was close to perfect in his Bears debut in Week 6 against Washington, nailing his lone extra point and hitting four of five field goals, including a 38-yarder as time expired to give the Bears their third win of the season. His 48-yard field goal to start the fourth quarter was blocked, but it was otherwise a great debut for Moody, who has had his struggles in San Francisco. He projects again as a decent option in Week 7 with the Chicago offense improving each week.